As a method for recording status information of abnormal state such as an accident and a crime, there is a technique that records an image upon occurrence of an accident by using a moving-image recording apparatus such as an on-vehicle camera. In such as case, upon occurrence of the accident or a sudden acceleration or sudden deceleration that is likely to lead an accident, a drive recorder, for example, is used to record an image or running data before and after the accident.
Patent Publication JP-2004-75023A, for example, describes a vehicle-information recorder that receives, upon detecting a counter vehicle that configures a single vehicle-to-vehicle network together with the own vehicle, running-state information including a forward image or a vehicle locus during the running from the thus detected counter vehicle, and records the same information. Patent Publication JP-2004-17901A, for example, describes an automated vehicle-accident-information collecting system that receives vehicle-status information attached with a video from a vehicle upon occurrence of an accident, to automatically formulate a vehicle-accident receipt list including the video. Patent Publication JP-2004-86780A, for example, describes an on-vehicle recording device that acquires, upon occurring of an accident, identification information for identifying neighboring vehicles running in the vicinity thereof via a vehicle-to-vehicle network.
However, if an image is to be recorded using the drive recorder upon occurrence of an accident, the camera image can be recorded only a specific time length. More specifically, the image can be recorded only for a few seconds before and after the occurrence of the accident. Therefore, the moving image that the drive recorder mounted on vehicles other than the accident vehicle has taken will be overwritten and erased after an elapse of time. Thus, detailed investigation of the accident status cannot be performed using the image of the drive recorder mounted on the vehicles that were running before, after or adjacent to the accident vehicle. That is, it is only possible to use the information (image) of the drive recorder mounted on the accident vehicle, which has stopped for the overwrite recording, for verification of the accident status.
In addition, in case of using the drive recorder, only the drive recorder mounted on the accident vehicle can store the moving image under shooting due to detecting the accident of the own vehicle. For this reason, if the drive recorder mounted on a vehicle other than the accident vehicle may record the accident or event occurring on the foreground, the image cannot be stored.
Further, in case of using the drive recorder for verification of the accident, it is only possible to use the moving image of the drive recorder mounted on the accident vehicle that has stopped the shooting due to occurrence of the accident. Thus, it is the most cases that the terminals storing therein the moving image include only the drive recorder mounted on at most one or two vehicles (that is involved with the accident) other than the own vehicle. In addition, since these terminals are left in the vehicle while storing the moving image, the perpetrator of the accident may destroy or lose intentionally the recording apparatus.
It may be considered that the driver recorder is configured to have a function of transmitting externally the image information thus recorded via a communication device. However, it is necessary for the transmission to use a portable telephone module etc. mounted on a portable telephone, thereby raising the cost for transmission. Accordingly, there is a possibility that a user of a vehicle other than the accident vehicle may hesitate offering of the information due to the communication cost burdened on himself.
The vehicle information recorder described in JP-2004-75023A, if used here, may record the running status information acquired by a vehicle other than the own vehicle. However, it is not sure whether the status of accident can be verified by collecting the information acquired by a vehicle that was running in the vicinity of the accident spot, in addition to the accident vehicle, upon occurrence of the accident.
The automated vehicle-accident-status collection system described in JP-2004-17901A, if it is used here, may collect information attached with a video image taken by the accident vehicle. However, it is only possible to collect the image taken by the accident vehicle, and it is impossible to collect the information acquired by a vehicle that was running in the vicinity of the accident spot.
The on-vehicle recorder described in JP-2004-86780A, if it is used here, may identify the vehicles that were running in the vicinity of the accident spot. However, it is only possible to identify the vehicles that were running in the vicinity of the accident spot, and it is impossible to collect the image upon occurrence of the accident from the vehicles that were running in the vicinity of the accident spot.